Wheel turning device

ABSTRACT

In wheel aligning and other vehicle repair jobs it is frequently necessary to turn the wheels of the vehicle. The wheels are most easily turned by use of the steering wheel, but such turning requires either that the mechanic move from the front of the vehicle to a position to reach the steering wheel or use an assistant. This device is electrically operated and is controlled from a position at the front wheel. A pair of rollers is mounted on a platform so that they bear against the underside of the steering wheel. The rollers are driven by one or more reversible motors powered either from the vehicle battery or utility lines. The motors are controlled by a reversing switch at the front wheel or by remote control.

United States Patent 1 Rouis 51 Oct. 2, 1973 I WHEEL TURNING DEVICERobert J. Rouis, 3353 Shasta Drive, San Mateo, Calif. 94403 [22] Filed:Mar. 2, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 23l,l58

Related 0.8. Application Data [76] Inventor:

3,003,363 10/1961 DeHart ..74/494 Primary Examiner-Milton KaufmanAssistant Examinen-Frank H. McKenzie, .lr. Attorney-Julian Caplan [57]ABSTRACT In wheel aligning and other vehicle repair jobs it isfrequently necessary to turn the wheels of the vehicle. The wheels aremost easily turned by use of the steering wheel, but such turningrequires either that the mechanic move from the front of the vehicle toa position to reach the steering wheel or use an assistant. This deviceis electrically operated and is controlled from a position at the frontwheel. A pair of rollers is mounted on a platform so that they bearagainst the underside of the steering wheel. The rollers are driven byone or more reversible motors powered either from the vehicle battery orutility lines. The motors are controlled by a reversing switch at thefront wheel or by remote control.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures WHEEL TURNING DEVICE This invention is acontinuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 6337 filed Jan.28, 1970, (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,539).

This invention relates to a new and improved wheel turning device. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to an electrically operatedremote-controlled wheel turner. In testing and repairing the alignmentand other functions of the front wheels of a vehicle, it is necessaryfor the workman to turn the front wheels from time to time.l'leretofore, this has been accomplished either by manually turning thesteering wheel, which requires either the services of an assistant orthat the workman leave his position at the front wheel and reach intothe interior of the vehicle, or hasrequired considerable physical effortof the workman in moving the vehicle wheel at its location, whichrequires that the operator stand in order to brace himself against thefender or other stationary portion of the car. The present inventionmakes it possible for the workman to turn the vehicle wheels withoutusing appreciable physical effort and without leaving his workingposition.

Accordingly, a principal purpose of the present invention is to providea compact, readily portable device which tits on the vehicle seatand isinstalled with rubber rollers engaging the bottom of the steering wheel,the rollers being motor controlled from a remote position at the vehiclewheel. Thus, a principal feature of the invention is the fact that thedevice is easily installed and removed, and there is no need to make anymechanical connection between the device and the steering wheel.

A principal advantage of the invention is the reduction in time requiredto turn the vehicle Wheels, and thus the reduction in the cost of wheelaligning and other operations of a similar nature.

Another feature of the invention is the considerable reduction inphysical effort required to turn the vehicle wheels. Where there ispower steering, or in other installations where the ratio between thedegree of turning of the vehicle wheel and the degree of turning of thesteering wheel is high, the force required to turn the wheels byapplying a turning moment to the vehicle wheels themselves is extremelyhigh. This inconvenience is eliminated by the present invention.

An advantage of the present invention is the fact that the position ofthe rollers which engage the bottom of the vehicle wheel is readilyadjustable for different vehicle conditions. In other words, the deviceof the present invention is almost universal in its application.

Another advantage of the invention is the ease with which it may beinstalled. There is no physical attachment required. After the device isplaced on the vehicle seat, a crank is turned to bring the two rubberrollers into engagement with the bottom of the steering wheel. Thepressure of the rollers can be controlled so that in normal situationsthe vehicle wheel is turned; but if an obstruction is encountered, therollers slip.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawingsin which similar characters of reference represent corresponding partsin each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a vehicle with the deviceinstalled.

FIG. 2 is a top plan of the device in enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the structure of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram. Vehicle 11 has front wheels 12 which arenormally turned by the steering wheel 13 through a conventional steeringmechanism (not shown). Wheel 13 is located in the driver compartment ofthe vehicle immediately above the front seat 17. The present inventioncomprises an apparatus 16 which is installed on seat 17 below the wheel13.

The turning device 16 has a base 18 which rest on the top of seat 17 andhas a lip 19 which extends over the front edge of the seat 17 andprevents the base 18 from sliding rearwardly. Platform 21 is connectedby hinge 22 to the forward edge of base 18 by a piano-type hinge 22 orother convenient means. A substantially vertical nut 23 is pivotallyconnected to the ear edge of base 18 and receives a screw 24 which isheld in a guide 27 on platform 21 and has a handle 26 which is used toturn the screw. As is best shown in FIG. 1, by turning handle 26 theangle of platform 21 relative to base 18 may be adjusted in order tobring the device 16 into position bearing against the underside ofsteering wheel 13.

Rotatably mounted on platform 21 is a pair of rollers 31 having shafts32 which extend longitudinally of the vehicle and are mounted by meansof pillow blocks 33 on platform 21. The two rollers 31 engage wheel 13.Rollers 31 are turned by reversible electric motor 36 which has itsshaft coupled by coupling 37 to the input shaft of a right-angle gearreduction box 38. The output shaft 39 of box 38 carries a pair ofsprockets 41 which are connected by chains 42 to sprockets 43 on theends of shafts 32.

A reversing switch 46 is mounted on the end of a long cord 44 so thatthe switch 46 may be installed near where the workman is working on thewheel 12. Switch 46 has three positions, namely, an open position whichstops the motor 36 and two operative positions which drive the motor inopposite directions. Switch 46 is a pulsing switch and may, in fact,have a sound-actuator at the wheel 12 and no cord similar to remotetelevision receiver controls used in residences. Directing attention toFIG. 4, the pulse from the wheel 12 site latches relay 48 closed, thusenergizing triple pole relay 49 from AC source 47. A second pulseunlatches relay 48. When energized the first time, the contact arms 51a,0 contact the lower contacts; whereas, when ener- In use, the base 18 isinstalled on the seat 17 and the handle 26 turned so that the rollers 31engage the wheel 13 sufficiently tightly so as to turn the wheel 13 butnot so tight that the wheels 12 are turned to the limit of their travel.When this or another obstruction is encountered, the rollers 31 slip.Thus damage to the steering mechanism or device 16 is avoided. The cord44 is then extended to a working position near the wheels 12 and theworkman adjusts the switch 46 to turn the wheel 13 in the properdirection. Between turnings, the switch 46 is in open position.

What is claimed is:

l. A device to turn a vehicle steering wheel and thereby to turn thefront wheels of the vehicle comprising a mounting platform adapted tofit on top of the driver's seat of said vehicle below the steeringwheel,

a pair of rollers each having a resilient surface adapted to fit againstand to turn said steering wheel, said rollers mounted on said platformwith their axes of revolution parallel to the normal direction ofmovement of the vehicle, a base shaped to fit on the seat of the vehiclebelow the steering wheel, hinge means pivotally connecting said base andplatform together, means connected to said platform and said base foradjusting the angle of said platform relative to said base and therebyto bring said rollers into contact with said steering wheel, areversible motor on said platform, and drive means driving said rollersfrom said motor.

2. A device according to claim 1 which further comprises a source ofelectric power for said motor, a

, means comprises a gear-reduction drive having input and output shafts,said motor connected to said input shaft, a pair of sprockets on saidoutput shaft, a second pair of sprockets rotatable with said rollers andchains interconnecting said sprockets.

1. A device to turn a vehicle steering wheel and thereby to turn thefront wheels of the vehicle comprising a mounting platform adapted tofit on top of the driver''s seat of said vehicle below the steeringwheel, a pair of rollers each having a resilient surface adapted to fitagainst and to turn said steering wheel, said rollers mounted on saidplatform with their axes of revolution parallel to the normal directionof movement of the vehicle, a base shaped to fit on the seat of thevehicle below the steering wheel, hinge means pivotally connecting saidbase and platform together, means connected to said platform and saidbase for adjusting the angle of said platform relative to said base andthereby to bring said rollers into contact with said steering wheel, areversible motor on said platform, and drive means driving said rollersfrom said motor.
 2. A device according to claim 1 which furthercomprises a source of electric power for said motor, a switch betweensaid source and said motor to drive said motor in either direction andto stop said motor, a long electric cord having said switch at its outerend and connected at its inner end to said source and said motor, saidcord of sufficient length to reach from the steering wheel to either ofthe front wheels of the vehicle.
 3. A device according to claim 1 inwhich said drive means comprises a gear-reduction drive having input andoutput shafts, said motor connected to said input shaft, a pair ofsprockets on said output shaft, a second pair of sprockets rotatablewith said rollers and chains interconnecting said sprockets.